Choosing an Air Rifle

Best Choice for Small Game Hunting?

  • .177 (1100 fps)

    Votes: 6 10.2%

  • .22 (1000 fps)

    Votes: 48 81.4%

  • .25 (900 fps)

    Votes: 5 8.5%
  • Total voters
    59
mdauben

mdauben

Joined
Oct 24, 2005
Messages
1,836
I've been tossing around the idea of picking up a PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) air rifle recently, and was wondering if I could solicite the opinions of some of the local "air heads" ;)

The rifle I was interested in comes in three calibers; .177, .22, and .25 caliber. I was interested in using this gun not only for target practice and plinking, but also potentially for some small game hunting. So, the question is which caliber would be the best choice for potting up to bunny sized game?
 
mdauben said:
I've been tossing around the idea of picking up a PCP (pre-charged pneumatic) air rifle recently, and was wondering if I could solicite the opinions of some of the local "air heads" ;)

The rifle I was interested in comes in three calibers; .177, .22, and .25 caliber. I was interested in using this gun not only for target practice and plinking, but also potentially for some small game hunting. So, the question is which caliber would be the best choice for potting up to bunny sized game?
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.25 caiber pellets will hit harder but, they are harder to find and more expensive. If you are shooting longer ranges and heavier and tougher game it may be worthwhile.

.22 caliber PCP's will smack bunnies, squirrels, rodents, etc. with plenty of power at reasonable to somewhat long distances. Pellets are plentify and relatively cheap.

Be sure to read up on StraightShooters.com. They have a great forum and lots of good info in their store website. Their service is top notch too, having taken good care of me with every purchase.
 
Sid Post said:
.25 caiber pellets will hit harder but, they are harder to find and more expensive. If you are shooting longer ranges and heavier and tougher game it may be worthwhile.

.22 caliber PCP's will smack bunnies, squirrels, rodents, etc. with plenty of power at reasonable to somewhat long distances. Pellets are plentify and relatively cheap.
Click to expand...
That's kind of the way I was leaning to start with. I figured the drawbacks of the .25 cal pellets (cost & availability) would be worth it if the larger pellets offered a significant increase in effectiveness, but if not it sounds like the .22's may be the way to go.
 
Here in Georgia 22 cal or smaller is authorized for small game. (including airguns).
Not sure of the regs in Alabama.
 
Sorry for the brief response this morning before I ran off to work. The modern PCP's generate enough power to rival some 22 Short cartridges without any gun powder. They are a little pricey for most people though when you factor in air tanks and other accessories.

Have you shot any modern break action airguns? I'm talking about the good stuff, not the cheaper imports you find at the mass market places. A Beeman R-9 is a great place to start, harder to cock then an R-7 but enough for entry level hunting and rodent elimination. You can also get some modern spring powered models that rival PCP's without the expense of air tanks and pumps.

The Air Arms products are what I favor today but, there are several others that make top notch products. Also, consider how much power you really need. Most of my air rifles are too powerful for use in a barn for example.
 
I personally have a "cheapo" crossman storm xt it set me back $99, it is a break barrel and shoots 1000fps with lead, 1100 with "pba" but I never shoot that stuff.

I believe air gun shooting is about shot placement, and the type of pellet you're shooting. A .177 8gr predator pellet going 900 fps is more than enough to take bunny size game. I've taken countless bunnies, squirrels, rats, opossums, skunks, and even a few raccoons. Rarely do I have to take a second shot.

That said, I have been thinking about a new gun. A .22 PCP would be really nice. I'm having a hard time justifying it tho... I'm doing well with the .177

.177 will give you better range with a more linear trajectory. Pellets come with more per tin, per dollar. Cheap to shoot all day.

.22 will hit MUCH harder even though they [usually] have a slower fps. Range will not be as far and fps will decrease more rapidly. plus they are LOUD. some say a .22short is much quieter than a .22 air gun shooting same fps.

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WJC01 said:
Here in Georgia 22 cal or smaller is authorized for small game. (including airguns).
Not sure of the regs in Alabama.
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The quote from the AL hunting regs for small game says "Rifles using rimfire ammunition or those operated by air." AFAIK, there are no limit on caliber of said air rifle.

Sid Post said:
Have you shot any modern break action airguns?
Click to expand...
Yes, I have both a spring-piston target rifle and pistol I have used for target practice. I could just get a more powerful spring-piston like the RWS 350 but I was kind of wanting to try something different, which was why I was considering the PCP instead. The RWS would be cheaper, of course, especially considering the extra cost of a filling system for the PCP.
 
I got a RWS24c for Christmas in 93 IIRC. My grandpa got it for me after watching me struggle with the size of his RWS36. That's all the experience I have with quality airguns.

I'm thinking about going with something like this...

[youtube]FsY0b_CRWpg[/youtube]
 
Also try and look for an air rifle with a Nitro Piston aka gasram. They are the newer substitutes for steel springs and hit hard. You can also keep the gun cocked for long periods of time without having to worry about spring fatigue. I have a Beeman RX2 aka HW90 and its a hammer in 22 cal.
 
Hey CM, Do you know how much the razor fang is? I couldn't find a price on their website.
 
Dunno... I signed up for the mailing list. Uhh, at least I think I did.
 
I think the .22 is the best of both worlds, its going to shoot flatter than a .25 not so much of a "rainbow" of an arc but it is going to hit harder than the .177. The real secret to airguns IMHO is they are "finicky" about what pellets they want to shoot. Most shoot much better on 1 type of pellet than they do on another. When you buy an air gun the best bet is to get a "sampler pack" of a broad range of pellets and shoot a lot of paper until you find a pellet that works with your gun. Shot placement is key to killing cleanly with an air gun, they take a little work to shoot well but you will see a marked improvement in your rifle shooting just from shooting one.
 
For any individual who either possesses an air rifle or is considering getting one, you'll in the end (trust me on this one) get round to purchasing another degree. Be that as it may, what kinds of air rifle extension would you be able to show signs of improvement appropriate for errands than others?
Best Air Rifle Reviews 2019
 
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